Festive Felines: How to Cat Proof Your Christmas Tree

December is often a battle of the wills between cat and owner. Our beautifully decorated trees don’t remain beautiful for long once our pesky cats get their claws in them.

Well, as Christmas is all about peace and love, I am here to make Christmas go smoother with some top tips for cat proofing your tree.

How Can I Secure My Christmas Tree?

A wobbly unsecured Christmas Tree is just asking for trouble!

To prevent your tree from toppling over the minute your cat decides to claw or climb it, it’s worth having a heavy sturdy base or tree stand.

To keep your tree firmly in place, you could also use a piece of wire to attach the tree to the celling or wall. If your moggy loves to bat at your precious tree ornaments, fasten them down with some small pieces of garden wire.

Where Should I Put My Christmas Tree?

Now this might be a controversial one, as naturally we like to place our tree somewhere prominent where we can enjoy the twinkly lights.

If your cat is determined to climb your tree every day, it might be worthwhile placing your tree somewhere that your cat spends less time.

How to Distract Cats from My Christmas Tree

The goal is to give your cats something else exciting to focus on and make your tree a lot less desirable.

• Use Citrus – Cats famously detest the smell of citrus, so adding a few orange or lemon scented decorations to your tree, will instantly make it less appealing. The King Cat Keep Off Spray is made with lemon oil which can be safely sprayed around the base of your tree.
• No Tinsel! - Tinsel can be extremely tempting for our tabbies and does pose a risk. Cats can tug and bat on tinsel and cause the whole tree to come tumbling down. Some cats also might ingest tinsel which can lead to intestinal blockages.
• Tinfoil the Tree- Don’t worry, you don’t need to wrap up the tree like the turkey. Place tinfoil around the base of the tree, most cats hate the sensation/sound. Although note I said most cats…
• Play with Your Cat! - A tree climbing cat is a cat that would benefit from more play. Ensure you are playing with your feline friend every day and letting them go through their natural hunting motions.
  Watch our video on How to Play with Cats
  Need to refresh their toy box? Explore our range of adorable cat toys.
• Upgrade their Scratcher – If your cat is obsessed with clawing their way up your tree, it’s worth reassessing their own scratchers. Cats need to scratch and they need a tall sturdy post and a satisfying texture to dig their claws into. Shop our range of tough scratchers.
  Watch our video on saving your furniture.

Christmas Trees & Cat Safety

Around Christmas there are plenty of hazards for our furry friends so here are a few tips to make the festivities safer.

1. Use a fake tree! While no tree is 100% safe, real fir or pine trees can be toxic to our pets, and the shedding needles can get into paws. The other alternative is to use a ‘no drop tree’.
2. Beware of toxic plants! Holly and mistletoe are hazardous to cats, if ingested they can cause severe gastrointestinal upset. Want to learn more about natural dangers? Read our Comprehensive Guide to Poisonous Plants.
3. Tidy away cables! Electric cables for our trees and decorations can be a danger to our cats. Cats can get tangled in or chew on cables so ensure they are tidied away and out of reach as much as possible.

For feline present inspiration check out our Cat Christmas Gift Guide.

I hope you and your moggy have a very merry Christmas.